Betting action figures to be heavy on Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Bucks and Suns. After Phoenix jumped out to an early series lead with a Game 1 victory, the Suns will now look to make it a 2-0 series advantage when they host the Bucks tonight.
Let’s take a look at Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a dive into our top betting picks for Bucks vs. Suns.
Bucks vs. Suns Betting Pick (Game 2)
Before we jump into the pick, let’s first take a look at the current odds ahead of this matchup. After opening as a 5.5-point favorite, the Suns have dipped down to -5 as of Thursday afternoon. Moneyline prices reached as high as -220, but they have since done down as well, currently sitting at -200.
The total for Game 2 is up to 220.5 points after settling around 218.5 ahead of Game 1.
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucks | +5 (-110) | +163 | O 220.5 (-112) |
| Suns | -5 (-110) | -200 | U 220.5 (-109) |
Now, let’s get onto the picks.
Chris Paul Under 22.5 Points (FanDuel Sportsbook -118)
Chris Paul put on a heroic Game 1 performance Tuesday night with 32 points and nine assists on the heels of his 41-point outburst in Game 6 of the Clippers series. He shot a combined 28-43 (65.1%) from the field, 11-15 (73.3%) from deep, and 6-7 (85.7%) from the foul stripe in those two games.
Yet, despite those two incredible outputs, we think we may be due for a more tempered scoring evening from the future Hall of Famer. For starters, we know Paul is going to max out around 37-39 minutes of game time in this one.
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He has averaged 33.1 minutes per game in the NBA Playoffs and has a quality backup in Cameron Payne who can offer quality minutes off the bench. In 15 postseason games thus far, Paul has only topped this point total four times, as he currently averages 19.0 points per game, to go with his 16.4 ppg during the regular season.
Bet Against Inflation
Clearly, the number is inflated due to his recent scoring outbursts, but the fact remains that Chris Paul only scored 23+ points in 12 of 70 regular season games. Count up postseason and regular season games and he would have cashed this prop just 18.8% of the time. He shot 60.0% or better from the field three times in consecutive games this season, scoring 7, 12, and 29 points in his next contest.
The 29-point effort came in an overtime game in which he logged 43 minutes, a number he is wholly unlikely to reach tonight. The Phoenix point guard had not scored 30+ points in back to back games all season until now, but he struggled even after consecutive games with 24+ points.
He had three such instances throughout the season and followed them up with 10, 15, and 16 point nights, nowhere close to what he needs to cash this prop.
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Brook Lopez Over 5.5 Rebounds (FanDuel Sportsbook -105)
Brook Lopez saw his minutes dip down to 23 with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return in Game 1 Tuesday night, after logging 38 and 39 minutes in Games 6 and 7 of the Atlanta series, respectively. But Lopez is well-accustomed to being productive in limited minutes, having topped this prop’s rebound total in 11 of his 18 postseason games in 30.2 minutes per game.
As such, he was able to snag six boards in Game 1, with five coming on the offensive glass. With Deandre Ayton, the Suns’ 6’11” big man, having 22 point and 19 rebounds on Tuesday, Lopez’s size could become more desirable on the court tonight.
Lopez has tallied six or more rebounds in six of his last eight games this season following a night with four or more offensive rebounds. He averaged more boards in his team’s wins than in its losses.
With Ayton having played 39 minutes in Game 1, expect Lopez on the court more tonight, snagging the rebounds he needs to cash this prop as the Suns’ center wears down late.
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